Collapsible utility table and seat for boats



Oct. 9, 1962 J. Russo 3,057,670

COLLAPSIBLE UTILITY TABLE AND SEAT FOR BOATS Filed July 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JACK RUSSO AFTER/YE) Oct. 9, 1962 J. RUSSO COLLAPSIBLE UTILITY TABLE AND SEAT FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1961 INVENTOR. JACK RUSS O United States Patent G 3,057,670 COLLAPSIBLE UTILITY TABLE AND SEAT FOR BOATS Jack Russo, 502 E. Brinkerhotf Ave., Palisades, NJ. Filed July 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,037 1 Claim. (Cl. 311-49) This invention relates to a portable and collapsible utility table or seat adapted to utilize either a horizontally or a vertically disposed structure for supporting it in either an operative horizontal condition or in a vertical inoperative condition.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a portable and collapsible utility table or seat having leg supports at one end thereof and having means for connecting the other end to a horizontally or a vertically disposed structure for maintaining the table or seat top in a horizontal condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a utility table that is adapted to be readily and fixedly secured in a boat with its top in a supporting condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a utility table that is adapted to be readily and fixedly secured to an article of furniture and swung out of the way when not in use.

Yet another object is to provide a utility table that is adapted to be readily and fixedly secured to a vertically disposed supporting surface such as a side wall and easily swung out of the way when not in use.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a portable utility table with collapsible supporting legs at one end and with clamping means at the other end for connection to a supporting structure.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a table embodying one form of the invention in open horizontal erected condition, in a boat.

FIG. '2. is an end view as viewed from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the table swung to inoperative condition as indicated by the arrow of FIG. 1, with the table supporting parts moved to collapsed condition.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a detail perspective view of the socketed keeper and swingable and slidable rod in the erected condition of FIG. 1, parts being broken away.

FIG. 8 is a detail sectional view showing the pivotal mounting of one of the legs.

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective detail view of a hinge connection between the table top and wing.

FIG. 10 is a top perspective View of a table embodying a modified form of the invention, attached to an article of furniture, the table being shown swung to inoperative condition, and the table supporting parts in collapsed condition, the table being shown in erected condition in dotdash lines.

FIG. 11 is a table embodying a further modified form of the invention attached to a side wall, the table being shown in erected condition.

Referring in detail to the drawing, in FIG. 1 a portable and collapsible table 10 embodying one form of the invention is shown mounted in operative condition in a boat 12. The table is shown attached to the top hori- 5 zontal rail 13 of the boat.

The table 10 comprises a table top composed of a rectangular-shaped thin panel 14 of metal or any other suitable material with a flat smooth upper surface. At one end, a narrow rectangular-shaped flap or wing 16 of similar material is hingedly connected to the end of the panel 14. The hinged connection comprises two hinge constructions 18, each construction consisting of a fiat curved hinged plate 20 secured by screws 22 to the under side of the panel adjacent its end edge and adjacent its long side. A projecting ear 24 is formed at each end of the plate. A plate 26 of similar construction is secured to the under side of the flap or wing 16 opposite to the plate 20, the ear 28 of plate 26 overlapping the ear 24 of plate 20. An elongated hinge pin 30 extends across the space between the overlapping pairs of ears and extends through and is supported by the perforated ears. A coil spring 32 is sleeved around the hinge pin 30 between the pairs of cars with one end pressing against the plate 20 and its other end pressing against the plate 26 on the wing 16 so that normally the flap or wing is urged to extended aligned condition with the table top as shown in FIG. 9.

At each corner of the other end of the panel 14, there is a supporting leg 36 pivotally connected at one end to the under side of the panel. The leg is an elongated metal tube with a flat disc-shaped socketed foot member 38 on its free end, for cooperation with a flat supporting surface. The pivotal connection consists of a pair of closely spaced perforated lugs 40, 40 depending from the under side of the panel 14 adjacent the corner. The connected end of the leg is reduced in diameter and is flattened, perforated and positioned between the perforated lugs. On each side of the perforated end of the leg there is a spacing washer 42. A bolt 44 extends loosely through the lugs, the aligned washers and perforated end of the leg and the pivotal parts are fastened in place by a nut 46.

Means is provided for maintaining the legs 36 in extended supporting condition. Such means includes a tubular brace rod 50 extending between and connecting the legs 36, 36 midway the ends thereof. A pair of tubular rods 52, 52 is pivotally and slidably mounted on the brace rod 50 by means of loops 54 formed on the connected ends of the rods and mounted loosely on the rod 50. The other free ends of each rod 52 are reduced in diameter and carry a disc 54. Midway the ends of the panel, a pair of tubular keepers 56, 56, oval in cross section, depends from the under side of the panel 14 and each is fastened at one end to the under side of the panel, the other end being open and free. Each keeper is formed with an elongated slot 58 extending from end to end.

Means is also provided for maintaining the legs 36 in collapsed inoperative condition such as shown in FIG. 3. For this purpose, an elongated angular plate 60, with one portion 62 thereof fastened fiatwise to a rectangularshaped plate 64, is secured to the flap or wing 16 along its inner edge by screws 66. The other portion 68 of the angular plate extends perpendicularly to the plane of the flap or wing and is formed with an elongated groove 70 in the top thereof. A pair of spring bicycle clips 72, 72 opening outwardly is secured on the under side of the panel 14, in line with the hinged connections of the legs 36.

In order to collapse the legs 36, the rods 52 are swung outwardly of the keepers '56 and slid along the rod 50 inwardly of the keepers. The legs 36 are then swung inwardly toward the panel 14 between the clips 72 and the rods 52 are then swung inwardly to bring their discs 54 into the groove 70 in the top of plate portion 68. The legs and rods are thus held in collapsed condition by the clips 72 and walls of the groove 70.

In accordance with the invention, a pair of spaced U-shaped metal brackets 76, 76 is secured to the top surface of the flap or wing 16. The bight portions 78 of the brackets are fastened to the wing or flap by rivets 80 so that the brackets are disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the flap or wing and open outwardly. One leg 82 of each bracket is formed with a threaded hole 84 and mounted in the hole is a setscrew 86.

In order to erect the table in a structure having a supporting floor and a horizontal fixture such as the boat 12 with horizontal rail 13 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the legs 36 are swung to extended condition and the rods 52 swung to extended condition with their discs 54 interlocked with the keepers 56. The flap or wing 16 of the table is then swung at right angles to the plane of the table top 14 by means of the hinges 1-8 thus disposing the brackets 76 in a plane parallel to the plane of the table top 14. The brackets can then be forced over a flat horizontal structure such as the horizontal rail 13 on the boat 12 and fastened to the horizontal structure by the setscrews 86. One end of the table will thus be supported by the legs 36 and the other end by the horizontal structure or rail 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The table is easily detached and collapsed and swung upwardly in a vertical position out of the way. The vertical position is the normal condition of table 10.

FIG. 10 shows a modified form of table 10' applied to an article of furniture, to wit, a lowboy bench or chair 90. The chair 90 is substantially rectangular in plan with a fiat top 92 supported by four corner legs 94 with braces 96 between the front and rear legs. A plastic cover 98 is shown on the top of the chair.

The table 10 is similar to table 10 without the flap or wing 16 and parts supported by such flap or wing. Instead, the end of the panel 14 of the table that mounts the hinge constructions 18, 18 is secured directly to the end edge of the top 92 of the chair by fastening the hinge plates 26 directly to the said edge of the top 92, by screws 95. A plastic cover 100 dimensioned to fit over the table top 14' is hingedly connected to the cover 98 of the chair.

The table 10 is normally in upright vertical condition as shown in FIG. 10, with the legs 36' and associated parts in collapsed condition, the free disc ends of the rods 52' hanging loosely. When it is desired to use the table, the table is manually swung downwardly as indicated by the arrow, the legs having first been released from the clips 72'. When in horizontal position as shown in dotdash lines, the table 10 constitutes an extension table and with the chair is adapted to support a person in reclining position or support articles of any kind,

In FIG. 11, a modified form of seat or table 10" is shown applied to a vertical supporting surface such as a side wall 102. The seat 10" is similar to the table 10 of FIG. 10, except that a padded cover is provided for the table top 14" and a pair of pivoted brackets 104 and 106 is provided at each side of the seat top 14" and side wall 102, in place of the hinge construction 18. The table 10" is thus pivotally connected to the side wall and is adapted to be swung upwardly in the direction of the arrow and held in upright vertical position against the wall, which is the normal condition of the seat.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

A portable and collapsible table including a rectangularshaped table top, a wing hingedly secured to one end thereof, means for holding the wing in extended condition, collapsible legs at the corners of the other end of the table top, a rod connecting the legs midway the ends thereof, a pair of rods pivotally connected at one end to said connecting rod, a pair of slotted tubular keepers depending from the table top adapted to receive said rods, a grooved plate depending from the table top, and discs on the free ends of the pivoted rods removably interlocked with the grooved plate for maintaining the legs in extended condition, a pair of spaced clips depending from the table top and opening downwardly for maintaining the legs in collapsed condition, a pair of U-shaped brackets secured to the wing for attaching the wing to a horizontally disposed support, and setscrews carried by the brackets for fastening the table top to the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 624,115 Steele May 2, 1899 1,605,693 Luger Nov. 9, 1926 2,470,869 Schmidt May 24, 1949 2,524,916 Loos Oct. 10, 1950 2,531,233 Pettit Nov. 21, 1950 2,616,774 Prince Nov. 4, 1952 2,636,549 Gellar Apr. 28, 1953 2,716,044 Overby Aug. 23, 1955 2,827,351 Kalt Mar. 18, 1958 2,833,608 Tobias May 6, 1958 2,843,436 Franks July 15, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,076,920 Germany Mar. 3, 1960 

